1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fitting for vehicle seats, particularly motor vehicle seats. The fitting includes an adjustable fitting component connected to the back rest of the seat and a stationary fitting component at the seat portion, wherein the stationary fitting component is mounted at its front end so as to be pivotable about an axle pin rigidly connected to the seat portion, and wherein the rear end portion of the stationary fitting component rests on a stop pin rigidly attached to the seat portion. In the locked position of the stationary fitting component, the stop pin is surrounded by the jaw of a catch hook mounted on the stationary fitting component, wherein the locked position is releasably secured by a locking device. The locking device includes an eccentric tensioning member which supports the catch hook in the locked position and is supported on a pin of the stationary fitting component, and a gear plate which is mounted on the eccentric tensioning member and surrounds the pin with an oblong hole. The gear plate has a control cam which over portions thereof interacts with a support pin of the stationary fitting component and to which is hinged a pull member which acts in a releasing direction against the force of a retaining spring.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a fitting for vehicle seats of the above-described type disclosed in DE 195 31 018, in which the possibility is provided for pivoting the back rest forward for facilitating entering the rear of two-door passenger cars, a locking lever is mounted on the fitting component connected to the seat portion for maintaining the release position of the catch hook, wherein, in the open position of the catch hook, the locking lever engages with a locking projection arranged at its locking arm in a recess of the locking cam and wherein, in this position maintaining the non-operative position of the locking cam, the locking lever is held by a retaining spring tensioned between the gear plate and the locking lever until a control arm provided on the locking lever makes contact with the stop pin rigidly connected to the seat portion when the back rest is swung back into its position of use. This causes the locking cam to be released from its locked position by the backward pivoting of the locking lever, so that the catch hook, which previously has already engaged the stop pin rigidly connected to the seat portion, is secured in its locked position as a result of the backward pivoting of the locking cam. Aside from the fact that the catch hook must be provided underneath its jaw with an inclined opening portion, the locking lever constitutes an additional structural component which must be mounted on the fitting component attached to the seat portion, so that the fitting is not economical because of the increased requirements with respect to structural components and manufacture thereof.